A/N: GW does not belong to me. Written for the Summer Camp Challenge.
Learning to swim
"What do you mean, you don't know how to swim?"
Relena stared at her boyfriend of three months, who was looking remarkably...unsheepish. Really, shouldn't he have some sort of reaction?
"There aren't exactly many large bodies of water in the Colonies, Relena," Heero said calmly. "I never had the chance to learn."
Relena had known that, really. She'd been in a meeting with the Board of Education about the matter, in fact. Just because it was the Earth Sphere Unified Nation didn't mean that the curriculum couldn't be fitted for every different area's requirements. That seemed obvious to Relena, but it had taken her six hours to convince the Board of that very thing.
She shook her head to return to the present. "But...I found you on the beach! How did you get ashore if you can't swim?"
"Airpockets in the flightsuit. They made me float. A device set to home in on the nearest land and small thrusters in the boots to get me there. Really, I couldn't have swum in all that anyway."
That did make sense. Relena gave him a considering look. "Do you want me to teach you?"
Heero couldn't understand why Duo had sounded so triumphant when he'd said that at least his girlfriend wouldn't be dragging him out to go clothes shopping. It was true that Hilde was more likely to want a new screwdriver than a new blouse, but Heero didn't see why that was such a plus.
It had taken him ten minutes to find a swimsuit. Relena was taking considerably longer to pick out hers.
"What about this one, Heero?"
"I preferred the green one."
Relena did a little spin, looked down at herself and frowned. "Maybe you're right. I'll just try on two more, and then I'm done."
Duo was crazy, Heero decided.
They decided to do their swimming in the pool in the basement of Relena's mother's house. Mrs. Darlian had happily found floatation devices and large rubber dolphins and everything, and then retreated to make strawberry jelly. She had a way with fruit and berries, and had, after Relena's father's death, begun to actually sell some jams, chutneys and relishes. Heero usually volunteered to test taste new recipes. It was a tasty way of bonding with his future mother-in-law.
"Let's start by practicing floating. Lay back," Relena instructed, and Heero did as she said. He felt himself starting to sink, then yelped and put his legs back down.
"Relena!"
Relena giggled. "You have to press your butt upwards, or it will drag you down."
"Are you saying my ass is big?"
Relena smiled sunnily. "Oh no, you've got quite a nice, firm bottom. It's the same for everyone, though. Just do it."
Heero complied, wondering if this was the sort of behaviour that had made Duo describe him as "completely whipped."
He couldn't see why that was supposed to be a bad thing, either.
Floating actually got a lot easier once he did as she'd said. Heero thought it was slightly like floating in zero-g.
At the end of the day, he didn't even need her to hold him up when he tried to swim.
"Heero," Relena asked as they sat on the porch eating scones with fresh strawberry jelly, "did you mention that you couldn't swim just so I'd spend most of the afternoon groping you?"
Heero swallowed his bite. "I have no idea what you're talking about."